After three editions, an Average Joe installment finally ended with an "average joe" getting the girl. Kinda.

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Last night's finale of NBC's Average Joe 4: The Joes Strike Back ended with Anna Chudoba, a 26-year-old model, selecting Nathan Griffin, a 26-year-old former Air Force missile technician, over Rocky Fain, a hunky 25-year-old aspiring model/actor.

Average Joe 4's finale began with Anna's mother, Halina Chudoba, individually surprising each of her daughter's final two suitors. Whisking them off (apparently unbeknownst to her) to the same romantic Tahiti locations where the men had recently gone on solo dates with her daughter, Halina grilled the two men with questions. During the course of her interrogations conversations, the differences between the two men became obvious to Halina. Rocky admitted to cheating on previous girlfriends and made it clear that his acting career was his primary focus. Meanwhile Nathan came across as being sincere about devoting himself to relationship with Anna and stated that while he'd had former girlfriends cheat on him, he'd never cheated on a former girlfriend.

After meeting with the men, Halina surprised Anna and shared the information that she'd learned with her daughter. Despite her mother's clear preference for Nathan, Anna still seemed to be leaning toward Rocky. Anna's final date with Rocky also seemed much more passionate than her subsequent date with Nathan (who acted somewhat awkward and was clearly a bit nervous during the date) -- leaving viewers to think that Average Joe was once again going to end with the himbo getting the girl.

However, when Rocky's limo pulled up to the final elimination location, Anna told a shocked Rocky that she "had to say goodbye" to him. Rocky remained strong until he walked back to the local Tahitian version of the show's "loser van," after which he put on what appeared to be an insincere sobbing and crying session that demonstrated why he remains an "aspiring" actor.

Meanwhile, Nathan arrived to meet with Anna. While not exactly pledging herself to him for life, Anna told Nathan that although none of her former romantic relationships had ever started in that matter, she agreed with his earlier comments that a relationship should begin with friendship. And while promising nothing more than a chance to continue exploring their growing relationship, she asked him to "stay with me."

A happy Nathan quickly accepted Anna's offer, and -- according to the show's ending, the two "sailed away together... taking it one day at a time."

As to whether Average Joe's third edition finally demonstrated that it's not just what's on the outside that counts, that remains a matter of some debate. After all, in a move that evoked memories of the Survivor: Pearl Islands "ghost tribe" twist that allowed ousted castaway Lillian Morris to return to the competition and make it to Survivor's Final 2, the fact remains that Anna had previously eliminated Nathan from her pool of suitors at the conclusion of the show's fourth episode.

Once he'd been eliminated, Nathan received a modest Queer Eye-style makeover and, along with three other eliminated men who had received more severe Extreme Makeover-type makeovers, was given a second chance to re-enter the competition for Anna's affection. Allowed to give one of her previously rejected "joes" the chance to join her two other previously uneliminated "joe" finalists, Anna selected Nathan.

UPDATE: According to a Reality TV World message board posting by Nathan, although they remain "great friends," he and Anna "never found a relationship together." Due to the fact that Average Joe 4's broadcast schedule was delayed (NBC had originally planned to air the series in Fall 2004), more than a year has passed since the show was filmed, and per the show's rules, Anna and Nathan were not allowed to continue seeing each other until the finale aired. While the two still remain "in touch," Nathan is now in a relationship that developed out of a pre-show friendship. Anna is "extremely supportive" of Nathan's new relationship and is focused on trying to make the most of her fifteen minutes of fame. Rocky is no doubt gloating over the fact that his "great friends" prediction came true.

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